The forest is home to all kinds of mysterious creatures. Among
the most skittish is the elusive woodin, a tiny apparition that
lives in fallen trees and is characterized by its asymmetrical
ears and leaf tail. Spotting them requires light footsteps and
plenty of acorns to coax them out of hiding.

A photographer spent weeks camping out in the densest foliage
of Central Park just to capture these never-before-seen images
of woodins in their natural habitat.

This lightly felted toy is knit almost entirely
in the round and features a hollow log in which up to five little
woodins can hide.

The design was inspired by the cute-but-spooky
spirits that inhabit the world of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki.

Instructions for working mattress stitch horizontally can be
found here (see Shoulder Seams):

Matching the given gauge is not essential. However, it is important that your stitches are not too tight (they will tighten up with felting) or too loose (we dont want to see any stuffing showing through).

Bark
Pattern
This pattern involves some freestyle purling to achieve the bark-like effect of the log.

In the first round of the Bark Pattern, intersperse purl stitches, singly and in pairs, among the knit stitches in a random fashion. For example, your round might begin k6, p1, k10, p1, k7, p2, k14, p1

In subsequent rounds, continue to work vertical purl ribs
as established, but with slight random variations.

Make your
ribs alternately wider or narrower by adding or subtracting
purl stitches, insert knit stitches among your purl stitches
to make one rib split into two, etc. Just make sure that
you're not doing more purling in a round than knitting
the knit stitches will make an even surface on which to
later embroider the spooky eyes.

The most important thing is to have fun with trying different
variations, and not to over-think it! It’s surprising
to see how much what seems like a mess of random purling
at the time turns into something that looks like tree bark
once its finished.

PATTERN

WOODIN (one skein of yarn will make up to 5)

First Foot:
Using color A, CO 4 sts. Divide sts between 3 double-point needles and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Round 1: [Kfb] 4 times. 8 sts.

Round 2: K all sts.

Round 3: K1, [kfb] twice, k2, [kfb] twice, k1. 12 sts.

Round 4: K all sts.

Break yarn and securely weave in the ends. Place these sts on spare double-point needles, and set aside.

Second Foot:
Work as for First Foot until Round 4 is complete.

Join Feet:Next Round: K first 6 sts of Second Foot onto one needle, continuing with same needle CO 2 sts using backward loop method, k first 2 sts of First Foot; using second needle, k next 4 sts of First Foot, place marker, k following 4 sts; using third needle, k remaining 2 sts of First Foot, CO 2 sts, k remaining 6 sts of Second Foot. 28 sts.

As work progresses, redistribute sts as desired, but keep marker and end of round in same location.

When Row 25 is complete, there are 100 sts. Do not turn
work at end of this round; rejoin piece to work in the
round.

Work 25 rounds in pattern.

Shape Branch:Note: If you have been working the log on a circular
needle, the sts which will be placed on hold in the next
round do not needle to be removed from the circular needle;
just slip the last 10 sts of the round to a double-point
needle before working them.

Branch is worked in stockinette st.

Next Round: Using double-point needles, work 10 sts in
pattern, place next 80 sts on st holder or waste yarn,
work remaining 10 sts in pattern. 20 sts.

When Row 25 is complete, there are 80 sts. Do not turn
work at end of this round; rejoin piece to work in the
round.

K 20 rounds.
BO all sts.

FINISHING

Weave
in ends.

Lightly felt all pieces by running them through a hot
cycle in the washer and dryer, checking periodically
until desired degree of felting is achieved. See link
in pattern notes for more information about felting.

Stuff each Woodin, inserting stuffing into space between
feet. Sew hole closed.
Sew a leaf "tail" to back of each Woodin,
with knit side pointing up and facing body. Embroider
eyes using black yarn, making two small horizontal stitches
for each eye.

Fold lighter-colored lining to the inside of the dark-colored
log body. Stuff the branch with polyfil. Match
up the two holes (the hole in the log body and the hole
in the lining, not the two ends of the hollow log), and
use color C yarn to backstitch edges of holes together.

Stitch pairs of eyes on the log in the same way as the
eyes on the creatures.

Sew leaves to branch.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Anna
used to knit sweaters and hats, but now she is entirely
toy-crazy. Her patterns and blog can be found at Mochimochi
Land, which she started in early 2007 as a place
where knitted toys and people can live together in a
spirit of tolerance.